Engine-starting apparatus



June 1 1926.

Z. C. BRADFORD ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed July 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1 1926. 1,587,212

2. c. BRADFORD ENG I NE START I NG APPARATUS Filed July 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,587,212 PATENT OFFICE.

ZERBE C. BRADFORD, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO DAYEON ENGINEERING LABO- RATORIES COMPANY, OF DAYTON,.OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF. OHIO.

ENGINE-STARTlNG APPARATUS.

Application filed July 28, 1924. Serial No. 728,588.

This invention relates to electrical starting apparatus for internal-combustion engines, and more particularly to the type of appara tus which includes an electric motor and connections between the motor and the engine which comprises a pinion adapted to mesh with a gear connected with the engine to be started, and means whereby, after the pinion has been partly engaged with the engine gear, operation of the motor will place the pinion in full enga ement with the engine gear. and whereby the pinion will be automatically disengaged from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative.

In this type of apparatus the pinion is meshed with the engine gear by pedal-operated mechanism, and means are provided for automatically disconnecting the pedal from the lever after the pinion has been moved into mesh with the engine gear so that automatic demeshment of the, pinion may take place in the manner referred to, regardless of the status of the pedal.

One of the objects of the present invention is to disconnect the pedal from the pinion positively by the operation of the motor in moving the pinion into full engagement with the engine gear.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings are fragmentary side views partly in section, of -a starting apparatus embodying tlie present invention and showing, respectively, the normal condition, the engine cranking position of the apparatus, and the condition of the apparatus after the engine has become self-operative and before the starter pedal has been released. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1. 7 45 Referring to the drawings: The engine to be started is represented by a flywheel gear 20, adapted to be engagedby av pinion 21 threadedly connected with spiral splines 22 of the armature shaft 23 of a motor 24having a field frame 25 connected with a gear housing 26 which is adapted to be supported b the frame of the engine to be started. S'iaft 23 is connected with a stop collar 27 providing. a journal .28 for the shaft which no spring 34 located between the pinion 21 and the flange 33, maintains the sleeve 32 normally in engagement with the flange 31. The heusing 26 carries a post 35 supporting a stud 36 providing a pivotal mounting for a lever '37 carrying at its lower end a roller 38 for engaging the flange 31. The roller 33 is normally maintained against the flange 31 by a coil spring 39 having end 40 bearing against the housing 26 having an intermediate portion coiled around the stud 36 and another end portion 41 bearing against a stud 42 carried by the upper arm 43 of the lever 37. The spring 39 obviously causes the tube 30 to be maintained against a stop member 45 surrounding the shaft 23.

For moving the pinion 21 into mesh with the gear 20 there is provided a pair of levers joined at their upperends by a stud 51. The levers are journaled upon the stud 36 and carry at their lower ends rollers 52 for engaging the flange 33. The stud 51 extends through a slotv53 providedin a latch link 54 which is pivoted at 55 upon a lever 56 journaled upon the stud 36. The pin 51is normally received by a notch 57 extending from the slot 53, as shown in Fig. 1. The lever 56 is actuated by a pedal 58 connected by red 59 with lever 56. Pedal 58 is main tained in normal position by spring 60 disposedbetween pedal 58 and a cup-shaped unember 61 attached tov the floor board 62 of an automobile. The motor is controlled by startlng switch 76 actuated by a plunger 71 arranged in the path of movement of'an ear 72 extending from the lever 56. f A spring 73 move the latter toward the right of the drawings. Motion is transmited from the flange through the spring 34 to the pinion 21, causing the latter to move into engagement with the gear 20. This movement of the pinion also moves the flange 31 in the same direction, which, engaging with the roller 38 of lever 37, will rotate the said lever in a counterclockwise direction about the stud 36. Rotation of the lever 37 will move its upper arm 43, engaging with the throwout pawl 81, in a counterclockwise direction and, due to the angle of the contacting edges of said arm and pawl, the said pawl will be moved toward the latch link 54. After the pinion 21 has been partly meshed with the gear 20, the ear 72 of lever 56 will engage the switch plunger 71, to move the latter to close the switch 70. Then the mot-or shaft 23 rotates to thread the pinion 21 into engagement with a stop 27 and thereafter causes the pinion to turn to crank the engine through the gear 20.

hen the operation of the motor causes the pinion to be moved from a partiallymeshed position to a full-meshed position *ith respect to the gear 20, independently of pedal operation, the flange 31 will be moved to the right by virtue of motor operation and will cause the lever 37 and the lever end 43 to be positively forced in a counterclockwise direction against the pawl 81. This movement of the lever 37 is relatively rapid; therefore, the pawl 81 will be moved quickly upwardly against the link 54, to move the latter from a posit-ion in which the stud 51 is engaged by the notch 57 to a position such as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the slot 53 re ceives the stud 51.

hen the engine becomes self-operative, the pinion is automatically demeshed from the engine gear. This operation may take place although the pedal 58 is still depressed and the lever still engages the switch plunger 71, as shown in Fig. 3. During the automatic dcmeshing of the pinion under these conditions, the stud 51 moves relative to the latch link 54 to the position shown in Fig. The spring 39 tends to maintain the pinion in demeshed position.

Release of the pedal 58 allows the spring 60 to expand to return the lever 56 to normal position and to release the switch plunger 71 so that spring 73 may move it to switch-open position.

In case the pinion teeth should fail to register immediately with the tooth spaces of the engine gear 20, the spring connection provided by spring 34 between the flange 33 and the pinion 21 allows the lever 56 to be moved into switch-closing position. During this movement of the lever 56 under these conditions, the spring 34 is compressed beyond its initial state, so that when the shaft 23 is rotated to register the pinion 21 with the gear 20, the energy previously stored in the spring 34 will be released to move the pinion 21 quickly into mesh with the gear 20.

In case the engine should fail to start after the pinion 21 has been meshed with the gear 20, there is sullicient clearance between the rollers 38 and 52, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the lever 56 to return to a position which will permit the switch to open by the action of spring 73.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

Whatis claimed is as follows 1. Engine starting apparatus comprising in combination a motor; connections between the motor and engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with an engine gear, and means whereby, when the pinion has been meshed with the gear, the pinion may be moved by motor operation into full driving engagement with the gear, and whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self operative; means including an actuator for manually moving the pinion into mesh with the gear; a motor switch operated by the actuator; and means positively operated by the motor for disconnecting the actuator from the pinion.

2. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; connections between the motor and engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with an engine gear, and means whereby, when the pinion has been meshed with the gear, the pinion may be moved by motor operation into full driving engagement with the gear, and whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self operative; means includ ing an actuator for manually moving the pinion into mesh with the gear; a motor switch operated by the actuator; and means including a member actuated positively by movement of the pinion due to motor operation for disconi'ieetii'ig the actuator from the pinion.

3. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; connections be tween the motor and engine to be started in cluding a pinion adapted to mesh with an engine gear, and means whereby, when the pinion has been meshed with the gear, the pinion may be moved by motor operations into full driving engagement with the gear, and whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self operative; means including an actuator for manually moving the pinion into mesh with the gear; a motor switch operated by the actuator; and means includ ing a collar attached to the pinion and a lever actuated positively by said collar during movement of the pinion due to motor operation for disconnecting the actuator from the pinion.

4-. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination a motor; connections between the motor and engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with an engine gear, and means whereby, when the pinion has been meshed with the gear, the pinion may be moved by motor operation into full driving engagement with the gear, and whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self operative; a pedal; a pedal operated lever; a pinion shifting lever; a latch normally connecting said levers; a switch operated by the pedal; and means positively operated, by the motor for moving the latch to non-connecting position.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; connections between the motor and engine to be started including a pinion adapted to mesh with an engine gear, and means whereby, when the pinion has been meshed with the gear, the pinion may be moved by motor operation into full driving engagement with the gear, and whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self operative; a pedal; a pedal operated lever; a pinion shifting lever; a latch connecting said levers; a switch operated by the pedal; a collar connected with the pinion; and a lever positively actuated by the collar during movement of the pinion due to motor operation for moving the latch to non-connecting position.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising,-

in combination, a motor; a spirally-splined shaft driven by the motor; a pinion threadedly engaging the shaft and endwise movable along the shaft into mesh with a gear connected with the engine to be started; a sleeve slidable on said shaft and connected with said pinion, said sleeve having a flange to provide a collar; a second sleeve slidable on the first sleeve and provided with a flange spaced from the firstflange; a coiled spring surrounding the first sleeve and located between the second flange and pinion; a motor switch; pedal operated means for engaging the second flange to move the pinion into mesh with the gear and to close the switch; and means positively actuated by the first flange during endwise movement of the pinion due to motor operation for disconnecting the pedal from the pinion.

7. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a spirally-splined shaft driven by the motor; a pinion threadedly engaging the shaft and endwise movable along the shaft into mesh with a gear connected with the engine to be started; a sleeve slidable on said shaft and connected with said pinion, said sleeve having a flange to provide a collar; a second sleeve slidable on the first sleeve and provided with a flange spaced from the first flange; a coiled spring surrounding the first sleeve and located between the second flange and pinion; a motor switch; a pedal operated lever for closing the switch; a pinion shifting lever for engaging the second flange; a latch for connecting said levers; and a movable member actuated by the first flange during endwise movement of the pinion due to motor operation for moving the latch to non-connecting position.

8. Engine starting apparatus comprising, in combination, a motor; a spirallysplined shaft driven by the motor; a pinion threadedly engaging the shaft and endwise movable along the shaft into mesh with a gear connected with the engine to be started; a sleeve slidable on said shaft and connected with said pinion, said sleeve having a flange to provide a collar; 21 second sleeve slidable on the first sleeve and provided with a flange spaced from the first flange; a coiled spring surrounding the first sleeve and located between the second flange and pinion; a motor switch; a pedal operated lever for closing the switch; a pinion shifting lever for engaging the second flange; a latch for connecting said levers; a lever engaged by the first flange during endwise movement of the pinion due to motor operation for moving the latch to non-connecting position; and a common fulcrum member for said levers.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

ZERBE C. BRADFORD. 

